Daughter of the Hearth
by Hearth's Daughter
Summary: Celia has always loved fire - the way it looks, the way it has its own mind of sorts. She never would have guessed that she would be a halfblood, or that her mother is the goddess of the hearth. She has a task ahead of her, and some complications of her personal life with a certain son of Hades. Rated T, just in case ((Percabeth, HazelFrank, JasonPiper, OCXNico, OCXLeo)) Enjoy !
1. Claiming

**Hi there! It's Hearth's Daughter (ObbsessesEasily) here! Wow, it's been such a long time since I've been on this website! I haven't read House of Hades yet (checking it out tomorrow X3) but I am fully aware of Nico's affections for Percy. They WILL linger in this, but they don't run very deep in my fanfiction. This story will include Percabeth, HazelFrank, NicoXOC, and a little bit of LeoXOc, plus self-insertion. I do not own any of the PoJ or HoO books, as I am not Rick Riordan!**

**Enjoy!**

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Leo wasn't too fond of dreams. Most of the time, he didn't have them. When he did dream, they were nightmares and memories. He jolted awake from a nightmare, shaking terribly. He remembered the feel of claws around his neck clearly, and wasn't terribly fond of the sensation. "Oh well. May as well get up." He climbed out of bed, groggy and trying his best to get his bearings.

The sunshine was warm as Leo stepped outside. With his trusty tool belt around his waist, he started for the armory. He had about an hour until breakfast, so he had nothing to do. He paused at the shrine to Hestia, and he stared into the high flames. Then something caught his attention – a teenage girl of maybe fourteen, sitting and tending the flames. She had choppy brown hair, yellowed skin, and glasses. He knew for certain that it wasn't Hestia, for she wore robes and always seemed much younger.

"Ah, hi?" Leo cleared his throat, and the girl looked up. _Oh wow, she's cute._ Her brown hair framed her face, hanging in her eyes. She brushed some hair behind her ears, her warm chocolate eyes sparkling,

"Hi. I'm Celia, who're you?" She stood, placing down her stick. She was barely taller than Leo, maybe a few inches or so.

"Leo Valdez, head of the Hephestus Cabin." He introduced, holding out his hand for introduction. She took it, her grip firm, and shook.

"Nice to meet you. I haven't seen anyone around here lately – I got here really early this morning with Grover." Celia brushed off her jeans and her shirt, which were covered in ashes. She bit her lip, as if it was a habit that she had grown accustomed to.

"Would you like to be shown around~?" He grinned at her. Any advances he made were never exactly affective towards any girl. In fact, he normally ended up driving them away. Celia gained a sly smile, and crossed her arms. "I don't see why not."

"Celia!" Leo's heart dropped as Grover trotted towards them with a smile. He paused, hooves clopping against the stones embedded in the earth, and he nodded to Leo. He returned his gaze to Celia. "I managed to convince Nico to give you a tour around camp." The satyr smiled widely. Celia smiled.

"Um, alright?" Celia sent a look at Leo that said _Whoops. Sorry, bud._

"He's down at the pavilion." Grover confirmed, and turned to Leo. "You should probably help, too."

Leo's face lit up. "That I can do." He looped his arm through Celia's and started for the pavilion, Celia snickering and trotting after him.

Leo came to a stop in the pavilion, almost causing Celia to trip. She pulled her arm from Leo's grip and waved at the dark teenager before her.

"Hello! I'm Celia Brown. You're Nico DiAngelo, right?"

Nico looked slightly alarmed at how familiar she was being – acting as if the two had known one another for years. "Yeah, that's right. Lets get going." He started walking out of the pavilion then paused. "You're coming, Valdez?"

"No duh, DiAngelo." He shoved his friend playfully, a mischievous grin on his face. Nico's expression darkened, and a scowl grew on his face. Leo smirked, and the two engaged in a staring showdown. Neither exactly wanted to back down, so Celia took it into her own hands.

"Hey, you two." Celia placed gentle hands on the shoulder of each male and warmth spread throughout their bodies. "Why don't we start the tour?"

She didn't have the ability to charmspeak, but both Nico and Leo's shoulders' relaxed.

"Fine. Lets get this over with." Nico stormed out of the pavilion, Celia easily keeping up. Leo strolled along beside them. Nico explained everything quickly, pointing to everything he talked about. Leo would pitch in his two cents from time to time, enjoying watching Nico's annoyance grow. Then Leo made one too many smart remarks, and Nico lost his temper quickly. Leo yelled with slight alarm as he was knocked to the ground, and Celia jumped backwards in surprise.

The two boys tussled on the group, yelps of pain coming from the cluster of flying limbs. Celia let out a high-pitched shriek as she got more fed up.

"That's _enough!_" Celia scowled at them, crossing her arms and glaring down at them. Her warm chocolate eyes turned cold as she stared the two down. They stopped wrestling, and Celia held out her hand. Leo took it, and she helping him up.

Nico stubbornly refused, and he stood himself.

"Now, shall we continue?" Celia refolded her arms over her chest, quirking an eyebrow.

"We're basically done." Nico spat out, glaring at Celia. She noted the fire in his obsidian eyes. Without realizing it, she unconsciously leaned forward. Nico blinked, confusion sweeping over him, and he leaned backwards.

"Celia, what are you doing?" Leo's voice broke her out of her trance. "What?"

The two stared at her quizzically. "Oh, dang it! I did it again, didn't I?" Celia looked like she wanted to beat herself up, smacking her forehead with the meat of her hand.

"Uh, did what?" Leo asked.

"I'm an artist," Celia explained, "I notice little things about people. Not many people would pay attention to them, but I find these tiny little quirks – little imperfections. They make everyone different and interesting, and I love it." Celia got a dreamy quality on her face, and she went from having her arms crossed to hugging herself. Nico whistled, looking awkward slightly. Leo stuck his hands in his pockets.

The whistle for breakfast went off, and Celia perked. Her stomach growled, and she looked at the two sheepishly. "Do I go with someone's cabin for breakfast…?"

"Hermes." Nico's answer was immediate. Celia nodded and shot towards that cabin. Leo himself went to lead his cabin, and Nico just went back to the pavilion.

Celia had fun at breakfast. She chattered excitedly with the Hermes cabin, eyes bright and happy. When they cracked jokes, Celia would start laughing. Her laughter was infectious, and she managed to get everyone laughing. Everyone seemed to enjoy her company at that table, and a few people actually walked over to talk to her.

When the time came to send offerings, Celia put in her largest cinnamon roll. She closed her eyes, biting her lip. _Mom? Dad? Whoever's my real parent; please send me a sign soon. Thanks._

She went to sit back at the Hermes table, and something brushed her hand. She stopped, standing up really straight and on her toes as a shiver shot up her spine. She walked really quickly, almost in a trot, to the Hermes table. Her cheeks were flushed darkly, and she hid her face and arms in her shirt.

Nico stared over at her in confusion. Their skin had barely brushed as they had walked past one another, yet Celia looked as though she'd seen a ghost. Typical of a girl.

"Hey Nico, who's that?" Percy turned around, munching on his blue pancakes. He sat cross-legged, looking curious. Nico's heart sped up slightly as he remembered his previous feelings for Percy. He had forced them down though, and they were leaving him slowly.

"Celia. She's the new girl who showed up really friggin' early with Grover." Nico scowled at his plate, now picking at his food.

Percy nodded, and turned around. He continued eating and talking with his half-brother as if nothing had happened.

Leo, on the other hand, watched Celia with peaked interest. She had popped out of her shirt, bristling, as the Stoll twins teased her. She seemed like the Hermes cabin was her family, in the very short period of time.

Throughout the day, people came and went to see Celia and talk to her, or to just introduce themselves. While she did her activities with the Hermes kids, she made a few mistakes in each task. On the rock wall, she had found an alcove in the sides. As lava began to pour down, she would slip into them and watch the lava pass by. When it was gone, she would continue to scale the wall. She made it up and down, a bit slower than most, but without any burns or scrapes.

In archery, she wasn't very good. She would aim and shoot, but she never went very far. Her arrows missed most the time, and the campers would tease her playfully. She was spectacular in arts and crafts, carving a marble fire. She did just fine in the stables, while the other Hermes campers would try to avoid the pegasi. She learned quickly in the swordplay arena.

By the end of the day, she was tired but content. She sang camp songs with the rest of the camp around the campfire, the fire causing light to flicker on her face. She managed to squeeze in the "Campfire Song Song" in the sing along. She didn't bother to sit by the Hermes cabin, though. She sat in between Nico and Leo. Leo talked avidly to her, while Nico tried his best to ignore her.

With s'mores, her's burst into flame since she was in the front row. The fire was extremely hot, and about twenty feet high. It was bright orange. Celia laughed as everyone freaked out about their marshmallows, while she just blew hers off.

By the end of the night, everyone had warmed up quite well to Celia. An Ares girl – Hannah – and one of Dionysus' kids – Haylee – had become like her bodyguards. They sat right behind her during the campfire.

Chiron announced Capture the Flag for the next day, and the camp exploded into cheers. Everyone jostled one another playfully, and someone knocked Celia forward. A loud yell of surprise rang from the campers as Celia was shoved into the flames. She looked terrified as the flames swallowed her.

Everyone screamed and some even broke down crying. Chiron looked startled, then angry. A hush went over the campers as Celia emerged from the fire, gasping. Her knees hit the ground as she stumbled out. She had no burns whatsoever, and she seemed to be glowing with an orange light.

"Celia, are you alright?" Hannah knelt by her, and Haylee joined her quickly. Celia's breathing was ragged, but she suddenly jolted to her feet. She let out an exhilarated yell of pure happiness, jumping up and down.

"That was so _cool!_ The fire shifted so many colors!" Celia spun around happily. Everyone laughed at her happiness, and then a red hologram appeared over Celia's head. A burning fire was on her head, twinkling and floating.

Celia looked up, gaping. She reached up, trying to see if it would burn.

"Well then." Chiron and Mr. D exchanged a look. Mr. D sighed and stood and muttered something. He disappeared towards the Big House, and Chiron's voice echoed.

"Celia Brown, Daughter of Hestia!" Celia's eyes grew wide. Everything suddenly rushed to her and the world started to spin. She caught herself before she fell. Then everything went black.

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**Ah, cliffhangers. Yep, I'm a daughter of Hestia. (I took like seven tests, and got Hestia every time.) Maybe I can get the next chapter up today (Yay weekends!) Please send me some reviews! ALSO: Sorry 'bout it being short. It was, like, four pages on Word ^^'**

**- Hearth's Daughter.**


	2. Boat Ride

**Hey guys! I've got chapter done and ready to go! I'll work on chapter three tomorrow, and it should be easy enough! I'm sorry if this is a bit disorganized as well, but I have a Beta to help me with this!**

**Thanks, TennieLover19! You're a big help!**

* * *

Celia had been one of the last to wake the next day. She groaned as the sunshine hit her face and she pulled her pillow over her head to block out the light. Everything came rushing back to her – getting claimed, getting pushed into the fire, every last twirl of heat and color and beauty, the worried faces of her friends, and then everything went black. With a deep, heavy sigh, she sunk into the soft mattress.

Wait.

Celia pulled herself into full consciousness. She looked around, confusion spreading across her mind. Gasping ever so slightly, she looked around the one-roomed cabin. The walls were creamy, with little dots that seemed like rosebuds scattered around the room. Flowers flourished in the windowsills and a warm, cozy fire burned in the hearth. She pulled herself out of her trance, and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She looked down at the floor and her clothing immediately caught her attention.

She was no longer wearing the clothes of the day previous, now in sweatpants and a tank top. When had she changed?

"So, you're awake." Celia let out a shriek, stumbling off her bed.

She whirled around, finding herself facing Nico. He was leaning against the doorway, eyes narrowed slightly. His arms were folded loosely over his chest and he appeared bored and slightly annoyed.

"Why are you–?" Nico cut her off before she could even finish her sentence.

"Your annoying friends – Hannah and Haylee, I think – forced me to come check on you." He scowled, expression dark.

The scowl etched deep lines into his face, making him seem tired.

"It isn't fair, since they had Leo and I carry you here."

"Wait, did you…" Her cheeks grew warm as she glanced at her clothes. "Oh gods."

Nico's obsidian eyes grew wide, and red flushed onto his pale face.

"N-no! Leo and I – No! Hannah and Mears changed your clothes!" He waved his hands and made very avid hand gestures, as if trying to draw her attention away from the subject.

Celia let out a sigh of relief, slumping over slightly. Nico stepped out, crossing his arms over his chest again.

"Get changed, then. You're already late to breakfast." With that, he wheeled around on heel and stormed away.

Celia stared after him, biting the inside of her cheek. Her brow furrowed, and she quickly changed into her camp clothes. She headed out for breakfast, closing the doors of her cabin behind her. She leaned against them, closing her eyes for a few brief moments. They shot open, clearing the image of Nico that appeared in her vision.

"Bad, Celia," She told herself, "You don't think things like that. Especially about someone you just met."

_Anyways,_ She mused to herself, _He probably has girls falling all over him. Almost every girl I've met goes for the "mysterious" type of guy._ She snorted to herself, and started walking towards the pavilion. She sat down at her table, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes. With a groan, she tried to force herself awake.

"Hey, Ember!" Hannah slid across from her.

Strictly speaking, other campers weren't allowed to sit at the tables of other people. Hannah, being a daughter of Ares, didn't exactly seem to care.

"Feelin' better?" She smiled, her teeth white as the sun.

"Besides the rude awakening? Peachy." Celia snorted, leaning on her arms. Hannah snorted in laughter.

"DiAngelo make a fuss?" She guessed.

Celia shook her head. "Ah… we got off on the wrong foot, to say the least."

She glanced over at the table where Nico sat, engaged in a conversation with another girl. She had straight caramel hair and tanned skin. She looked close to nothing like Nico.

"Who's–"

"Yo, Colt! Get over here!" Hannah scowled at her half-sister and stood. "I'll talk to you later, Ember." She went back to her table, looking exceedingly upset and annoyed. The moment she sat down, she was thumped in the back of the head by Clarisse, a big burly girl who's the head of the Ares cabin. Celia felt bad for anyone who had to be related to that brute. Celia went to the fire and dumped her largest waffle in the flames. She watched the smoke curl into the air and went back to her table. She felt lonely, suddenly. She looked around at everyone else, joking and laughing with his or her half-siblings. Even Nico and Percy had someone to talk to. Celia put her head down sadly, pushing her plate away from her. She stood and left the pavilion, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

"Hey, belleza!" Celia stopped at Leo's voice, and she turned. He slowed as he came near, and came to a stop. "Feeling any better than yesterday?"

Celia gave a smile, and rolled her eyes. "I feel crappy – but that's mainly because of the factor of the morning."

Leo snorted, and slung an arm across her shoulders. "Any interest in going down to the canoe lake?" He smiled at her, his brown eyes twinkling with light.

Celia bit her lip, pondering the thought. Leo stuck out his bottom lip and gave her puppy dog eyes. Celia stared at him for a few moments, and gave in.

"Alright, Leo. Lets go – Whoa!" Celia lets out a yelp as Leo grasped her hand.

Her cheeks warmed and she smiled as she half ran, half stumbled along behind him. He came to a halt, and Celia stared at the lake. She let out a breath, smiling widely. The light glittered on the water, and Celia felt an urge to dive in.

Leo must have felt her tense up because he said, "I think there's a boat." His voice held a teasing note, and Celia stuck out her tongue.

"Oh shut up."

Leo flashed her a cocky grin, and leaped into a boat docked nearby. Celia picked her way in more cautiously, and settled down comfortably. Leo untied the boat and grabbed a paddle. He held one out to Celia, who cocked an eyebrow.

"You don't expect me to do all the work, right?" He smirked, and Celia bit her lip again.

She seemed to have a habit of biting and moistening her lips, and Leo found it adorable. But – like always – she was probably way out of his league.

"Well then, aren't you romantic." Celia scrunched up her nose and took the other paddle.

She would switch sides occasionally and spin them around. Leo would copy her, and they would spin until they were dizzy. Celia stopped them at a decent distance from shore. She placed down her paddle and leaned down, hanging over the edge on the canoe. She splashed in the water, smiling to herself. Leo watched her with interest, a small smile playing on his lips. She tucked some hair behind her ear, using her free hand to brush the water. With a small bubble of laughter, she saw a naiad come up. With a startled yell, Celia found herself being pulled into the water. Leo yelled in alarm, watching Celia's form disappear in the water. She burst out soon after she went under, laughing and spluttering. She swam around, doing flips in the water.

"C'mon, girlie. Get in the boat before you catch a cold." Leo snorted and held out his hand.

He pulled Celia into the boat, and felt an urge to lean forward. He intertwined his fingers slightly with Celia's and leaned forward. Celia's cheeks were pink, and Leo smelled a faint scent of pomegranate and chocolate. A voice interrupted the moment of perfection (in Leo's mind, since he'd never really kissed a girl).

"Hey!" Celia let out a small squeal and jerked backwards.

A rather upset looking Nico stood at shore, eyes narrowed and scowling. His hands were balled at his sides, and he looked very, _very_ angry. Leo swore under his breath, and Celia helped get the two back to the shore. Hannah came running, looking upset, with Haylee stumbling behind her. Celia shrunk back, looking slightly scared. Nico and Leo had a stare down. Leo was smirking, a grin growing on his face. Nico took a deep breath and turned around.

"I'm going to go find Lethe and make sure she isn't doing something stupid," he sank into the shadows and disappeared.

"Nico got worried." Hannah explained. "I think he enjoyed talking to you – no matter how much he denies it," she gave an apologetic smile.

Leo shrugged, looking at Celia.

"Later, C," He left as well, leaving Celia confused and wondering what to do.

"Do you like Leo?" Haylee asked.

Celia dug the palms of her hands into her eyes. She sounded kind of miserable.

"I don't know," she folded her arms, hugging herself. "I mean – I've tried my hardest to be nice to everyone here, and those two are just so fun to talk to. Well, Leo is, and I really want Nico to come out of his shell…" Celia trailed off, frustration building up inside her. Tears clouded her vision and she wiped them away.

"Hey, you okay?" Hannah looked worried. Haylee placed a hand on Celia's shoulder gently.

"Yeah, fine. I'm just frustrated." Celia took a deep breath through her nose. "I'll go check on Nico." She smiled slightly and started running. She figured Nico would be in the Hades' cabin. She wanted to see if he was mad at her

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**So, it's a bit short, but it's still decent. Another four pager on Word! I think that's still an improvement (I normally write one or two pagers, so this is a lot longer than average for me! Haha ^^')**

***belleza – Spanish for beautiful**


	3. Apologies Gone Wrong

**Hey! I'm back for Chapter Three, guys! :3 Now, I have something to say:**

**EvaWinters: You prove a valid point. Y'see, (I know this is impossible, but it's fiction, so…) Hestia and Celia's father fell in love. But Celia's dad never took Hestia's virginity or anything. Celia was **_**literally**_** born out of flames. She was created by Hestia and Mr. Brown's want for a child when both of them knew about Hestia's vow to remain a virgin goddess. Even though Hestia swore never to marry, she never vowed to never fall in love. So, technically, Hestia never broke her vow.**

**I hope that answers your question!**

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Celia knocked on the door to the Hades cabin. She bit her lip worriedly, wondering if Nico would even answer.

"Nico? It's Celia." She started fiddling with her shirt, growing worried.

"Nico?" She pushed open the door, finding Nico curled up on a bed.

His back was to her, and the short girl she had seen him talking with earlier sat opposite him. She was speaking to him in soothing tones, one hand on his shoulder. Celia backed away quickly, feeling as though she had intruded on something. She hid near the door, eavesdropping on the siblings' conversation.

_I shouldn't be doing this._ Celia told herself, squeezing her eyes shut. _This is so wrong. I should just walk away._ No matter how much she told herself to do it, her limbs wouldn't cooperate.

"Nico, c'mon. Get out of the cabin." Lea's voice drifted to Celia's ears.

It was surprisingly soothing, considering her hyperactivity.

"No," Celia could almost see Nico's scowl.

"Oh, come on, Death Note." Lea's voice urged. "It shouldn't matter to you that Celia and Leo were together."

"Yeah, I'm fully aware of that," Nico snapped. "It still isn't right for Leo to do that!" Celia blinked, cheeks flushing as she listened.

Was Nico _jealous?_ She dismissed the thought, biting her tongue.

"Do what? Kiss her? Celia isn't yours, Nico." Lethe's voice was rising, and Celia could sense her anger bubbling up.

"She isn't _his_ either!" Nico argued.

Celia jolted to her feet and pushed into the door.

"Nico?" He jumped, and Lethe's head snapped up.

She appeared startled, and her eyebrows disappeared in her hairline practically.

"Go away," Nico snapped, eyes glinting with anger.

"No," Celia narrowed her eyes uncharacteristically.

"I said, go away! You're just here to watch me wallow in self-pity!" Nico snarled. Lethe tried calming him down again, and she wasn't doing too great.

"Did it ever enter your thick skull that maybe I was _worried_ about you, Nico?" Celia stared at him, her chocolate eyes cold. Nico recoiled, glaring back with equal coldness.

"I don't need your pity," Nico growled, quieter now.

"It isn't pity, Di Angelo," Celia took a step forward and leaned on the mattress, all her weight in her hands.

"_Sure_ it's not," His voice just oozed with sarcasm.

"Gods dammit, Nico! I'm trying to apologize for making you upset!" Nico jerked back.

"Who told you that you made me upset?" Nico hissed.

Celia was probably hurting some of his self-pride for proving him wrong, but she didn't care now.

"You wheeled off and disappeared when Leo and I got back! And for your information, Mr. Possessive, but maybe I _wanted_ to kiss him!" Nico almost appeared as if he had been slapped in the face.

He looked wounded for but a moment, and put up a mask.

Lea got in between the two.

"Celia, you'd better get out."

Celia had her hands over her mouth, horrified. She hadn't wanted to say that – the words just slipped out.

"Oh gods, Nico – I-I didn't mean–"

"Get out." Nico's voice was cold. "Go find your boyfriend and cry to him. I don't need your poisonous presence to contaminate my cabin," he glared at her, his expression cold.

Celia bit her lip and blinked back tears. Oh gods, she had messed this up so badly. Lea took her by the elbow gently.

"Oh gods, I'm _so sorry_, Nico." Celia's voice was barely a whisper. She turned and ran off, disappearing from sight.

Lea turned on Nico, frowning, "You need to work on your people skills."

"Shut the fuck up, Lethe," Lea narrowed her eyes.

"She was trying to _apologize_, Nico! You didn't have to be so hostile!"

"Yeah, maybe she was trying to apologize. I don't give a damn about it."

Lea sat across from her half-brother.

"Nico – you go say you're sorry to her _right now,_" Lea's voice was like acid.

"Why should I lie to her?" Nico responded in the same tone.

"Nico, she was _crying_, for Hades' sake!" Lea scowled at him. "Look at her!" She waved her hand, and a holograph of Celia came up.

She was sitting in her cabin, her face in her pillow. She was crying; her shoulders shaking as she tried to stifle her sobs. Guilt crept into Nico's mind as he watched the image. Hannah and Haylee were on either side of her, rubbing her back.

"C'mon, girlie. Tell us what happened," Haylee's voice was quiet.

"I w-was just trying to apologize! I j-j-just wanted to s-say I was so-sorry!" Celia looked up, tears streaming down her face.

Her nose was running, and she wiped it away with her sleeve. Tears smeared her face and left tracks on her cheeks. A cold lump formed in Nico's throat as he watched.

"Lethe, stop it," He hid his face in his pillow, trying to block out the images that had burned into his mind.

A sharp slap hit Nico's head, and he jerked his head up.

"Ow!" His scalp stung, and Lethe stood over him, arms crossed.

"You're so lucky that wasn't aimed at your face. Now _go,_" she grabbed him by the base of his neck and shoved him out.

He slammed right into Leo, and both of the males hit the dirt groaning. Ignoring Leo, Nico climbed to his feet and started towards the cabin of Hestia. He gently pushed open the heavy oak doors. He walked into the room, and then slammed into the ground.

"OW!" Hannah had him pinned, her knee digging into his chest.

"You're an ass, Nico DiAngelo!" Hannah snarled, eyes burning with murdering intent.

"Hannah! Get off of him!" Celia's voice rang out, surprisingly strong.

Hannah obeyed, sending a death glare at Nico. He bit his tongue. _If looks could kill…_ he thought. He looked at Celia, who was refusing to look at him. He felt a pang as he saw that her eyes were red.

Nico cleared his throat awkwardly, casting his eyes up to the ceiling. "Listen, Celia – Ah, sorry about being a brat. And for, uh… yelling at you, I guess…"

Celia looked up, hugging her pillow. She watched him for a minute and those chocolate colored eyes seemed to make him calmer. After a long moment of silence that seemed to last forever, Celia spoke.

"I forgive you, Nico," Her voice was surprisingly soft.

She pulled herself out of her bed, and she did something that surprised the other three occupants of the room. She wrapped her arms around Nico's middle, and hugged him tightly. Nico felt awkward – He wasn't the best with girls, but Celia's hug felt familiar. He felt a pang of hurt as he remembered the hugs Bianca would give him when he got scared. Those hugs were warm and comforting and full of every bit of love Bianca held for her baby brother. Celia's hug felt identical to that. Before he could register what to do, Celia pulled away and hugged herself. Nico stood there awkwardly until Haylee and Hannah looped their arms through Celia's.

"Well, Death Boy, we'll be heading off. Celia's coming with us for a bit – and staying away from guys!" Haylee nodded in agreement to Hannah's statement.

Hannah still glared daggers at Nico while they halfway dragged Celia out of the cabin. Celia didn't even bother to struggle – she just walked along with them.

Celia glanced over her shoulder at Nico, who had left the cabin. He went into the forest, and disappeared from her view. She bit her tongue worriedly again.

"I don't think his apology was sincere," Hannah said plainly.

She sat down, unlocking herself from Celia. The other two joined her on the cool ground, and Celia lay in between the two.

"I think it was," Celia responded. She locked her fingers behind her head and stared at the sky. "I mean – at least he apologized, didn't he?"

"She's got a point, you know," Haylee pointed out. Hannah still looked grumpy. "He could have planned it out a bit more. I mean; he made Celia cry."

"He still said sorry," She craned her neck to look at her friends.

Celia closed her eyes once more and found she was drifting off in the warm day. The sunshine caressed her cheeks and warmed her body. She opened her eyes again and shot up as a chill went up her spine.

"Something's wrong," Celia jolted to her feet, and spotted a hellhound staring up at them from the bottom of the hill – just outside the camp's border.

Celia drew her celestial bronze knife. Her eyes locked with the hellhounds, and she saw a wound. Her heart throbbed, and she put back her knife.

"You two stay here," Celia ordered. "I'm gonna check it out. You guys get help if something happens to me."

She practically slid down the hill. The Hellhound growled at her, and Celia flinched. It was small – a baby probably. Its paw was bent at an odd angle, and it was oozing shadows from one side. Celia felt an urge to help the monster.

It growled, bristling, as she drew even closer. It tried to leap at her to attack, but Celia sidestepped and it sprawled on the ground. It was clumsy, at best. Celia knelt by it and placed a hand on its side. It growled and snapped at her, its pride probably wounded. She smiled at the hellhound, and continued to pet it. It continued to snap it her, but the bites became more confused. It slowly stopped and just stared at her incredulously.

"I'm not scared of you." Celia said quietly.

The helhound's ears perked and it seemed confused that the girl before it was talking to it. Celia dug through her satchel, and pulled out a small ball. The hellhound gained interest and sniffed it.

"Celia! What are you doing?!" Haylee yelled.

"Don't worry about it!" Celia hollered back.

She pulled out some gauze and wrapped up it's paw. It laid still, and Celia pulled out some abrosia. She broke off a small chunk and fed it to the hellhound. It stopped bleeding shadows, and its paw rightened itself. It looked at Celia as if it was saying, _Are you insane or just dumb? _Celia giggled back, and patted its head. She started walking back up the hill and the hellhound appeared at her side. He nuzzled her leg, demanding her attention. Celia started rubbing it behind the ears.

"I'll call you Epoulo," she decided.

Celia walked across the border, and Epoulo tried to follow. It whimpered, trying to push past the barrier. Hannah drew her sword, and Haylee had vines waiting and ready.

"I, Celia Brown, grant you access into Camp Half-Blood," she spoke clearly, and Epoulo leaped at her.

He began licking Celia, pushing her to the ground. Celia pushed him off.

"No licking," She ordered.

Hannah lowered her weapon and looked at Haylee. Haylee stared back with the same amazed expression, and they turned to stare at Celia.

"You _tamed_ it?" Haylee choked out. Hannah's jaw stayed slack.

"Of course! I wanted a pet!" Celia explained, and knelt down by her hellhound. "Epoulo's mine now," she grinned and rubbed the dog behind his ears.

"Good luck telling everyone else not to attack him," a voice came.

Nico stood, his hands in his pockets. He stared at the hellhound. Celia narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"They have Mrs. O'Leary," She spoke firmly.

Nico rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. I don't care," He brushed past them and sat at the crest of the hill. He sat next to the guard dragon silently. Celia watched him, and made a hand motion for her friends to leave. They nodded and took off down the hill. Her gaze didn't waver one bit as she sat next to Nico. She tore her eyes away and had her hellhound laid beside her. He growled at Nico, who stared at him. Epoulo shrunk back and curled around Celia, warming her sides.

"I really am sorry for upsetting you earlier." Her voice was quiet.

"I know. Just leave it be."

"…. Alright, Nico."

* * *

**Chapter three, done!**

**Epoulo came from "healed" in Greek. Since Celia mended his paw and scrapes, I thought it suited him well enough. Yeah there's a hellhound. Cliché, isn't it? Whatever. So, some tears and jealousy in this chapter.**

**See you next chapter!**

**-Hearth's Daughter**


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